Marcus Performing Arts Center Launches 2025/26 Culture Collective With Premiere of Maa Vue and The Dream Carrier

MILWAUKEE (September 3, 2025) – The Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is proud to launch the 2025/26 Culture Collective with the premiere of Maa Vue and The Dream Carrier on Saturday, September 6. This theatrical concert brings Hmong heritage to life through dance, storytelling, and music, reimagining a long-lost message hidden in traditional Hmong baby carriers.

Now in its third year, the Culture Collective continues to celebrate and elevate artists from diverse backgrounds and artistic disciplines, featuring seven public performances, a special student matinee, and three free community events from September through April. Highlights this season include the highly anticipated return of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Milwaukee favorite Black Violin.

Additionally, MPAC will host the inaugural Native Heritage Celebration on Friday, September 26 to honor the rich history and culture of Wisconsin’s eleven Native American tribes. The free, public event as part of the Collective will feature traditional smudging, youth drumming, a panel discussion, and a “Living Village,” showcasing artifacts and traditions from several tribes, offering attendees a unique opportunity to learn and connect with Native communities.

“The Culture Collective has quickly become a cornerstone of our programming, strengthening our artistic offerings and expanding learning opportunities through our educational and engagement activities,” stated Kevin Giglinto, MPAC President & CEO. “At MPAC, we are dedicated to creating a more representative and equitable community, and the Culture Collective brings that commitment to life through high-quality arts and entertainment.”

Tickets are now on sale for all performances. These shows may also be combined with other MPAC Presents performances to create a Build Your Own (BYO) Series (three or more shows) for instant savings of 15%.

To purchase tickets, visit www.MarcusCenter.org, call 414-273-7206 for personal service, or visit the MPAC Box Office at 929 North Water Street, Downtown Milwaukee. Groups of 10 or more receive special discount pricing and can secure their seats by calling 414-273-7207.

Several educational and community engagement activities will be part of the 2025/26 Culture Collective. MPAC will offer a range of activities alongside our performances, including masterclasses, Q&A sessions, post-show talkbacks, and more in partnership with local schools and community organizations, ensuring that the transformative power of the arts reaches individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Our 2025/26 Student Matinee Series will also be announced at a later date, which will include several of the artists featured in the Collective.

The Culture Collective is generously supported by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board. Additional support is provided by Bader Philanthropies, Inc., Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, the Herzfeld Foundation, MGIC, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, and Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel. The Native Heritage Celebration is sponsored by the Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Potawatomi Casino Hotel, Milwaukee County Office of Equity, Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, and the Urban Indigenous League. For Culture Collective sponsorship opportunities, please contact give@marcuscenter.org.

Following is a chronological listing of the shows as part of this season’s Culture Collective.

Maa Vue and The Dream Carrier
Saturday, September 6, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Experience this world premiere theatrical concert where Hmong heritage comes to life through powerful dance, storytelling, and heartfelt songs. Maa Vue reimagines a long-lost message hidden in traditional Hmong baby carriers. With over 60 million YouTube views, Maa Vue has been a pillar in the Hmong community for over a decade, using music and storytelling to inspire and connect.

Sponsored by Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Bader Philanthropies, Inc., and Hmong American Partnership Fox Valley.

Supaman
Student Matinee Performance
Friday, September 26, 2025 | 4:00 p.m.
Supaman (Christian Takes Gun Parrish) is a Native American hip hop artist and dancer from the Apsáalooke Nation in Montana whose performances mix Native culture, comedy, and urban beats. With his one-of-a-kind blend of music, dance, and storytelling, Supaman shares messages of resilience, pride, and inclusion, inspiring audiences of all ages while shining a spotlight on Native culture.

Recommended for all ages. Advance reservations required. To register, click here.

Native Heritage Celebration
Free Community Event
Friday, September 26, 2025 | 5:00 p.m.
Learn about the culture and heritage of each of the eleven tribes in Wisconsin through a variety of offerings including traditional smudging, youth drumming, Native entertainment, a panel discussion, and more. A “Living Village” will be open from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. on the MPAC Outdoor Grounds with artifacts and traditions specific to several individual tribes. This inaugural event is free and open to the public.

Black Violin
Thursday, October 9, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
Step into Black Violin’s Full Circle Tour, where GRAMMY®-nominated duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus redefine the possibilities of music by merging classical depth with hip hop’s pulse. This tour captures the essence of returning to where it all began—transformed and reimagined. Each powerful performance invites audiences to reflect on their own journeys, discovering that even as we evolve, we’re often drawn back to our roots with renewed purpose.

42nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
Free Community Event
Monday, January 19, 2025 | 4:00 p.m.
Now in its 42nd year, the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration highlights the youth in our community who every year interpret Dr. King’s words through art, speech, and writing contests. The theme for this year’s event is “True Peace.”

DRUMLine Live — Just Announced!
Thursday, February 5, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
DRUMLine Live embodies the soulful, high-stepping style of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching band tradition. Incorporating original compositions and soul-infused interpretations of top 40 hits, group performances range from colorful, choreographed routines to heavy doses of drum riffs and cadences. This show-stopping attraction will bring you to your feet by halftime!

Tickets will go on sale at a later date.

8th Annual César Chávez Celebration
Free Community Event
Sunday, April 5, 2026 | 4:00 p.m.
This annual event focuses on educating our communities about the legacy of César E. Chávez, an unselfish advocate of social justice and respect for human dignity. The celebration highlights the youth in our community who every year interpret Chavez’s words through student contests in art, speech, and writing. This year’s theme is “Knowledge.”

New Jazz Underground
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
New Jazz Underground is setting a new standard for the future of jazz. This powerhouse trio has earned acclaim for their distinctive approach, establishing themselves as a defining voice in jazz and beyond. Blending deep jazz traditions with modern influences from swing, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban, house, and Afrobeat, the group creates a dynamic and electrifying sound. With performances that bridge tradition and innovation, New Jazz Underground proves that jazz is as vital and boundary-pushing as ever.

Mariachi Herencia de México
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
¡Viva el mariachi! Two-time Latin GRAMMY®-nominee Mariachi Herencia de México pushes the boundaries of traditional mariachi music. Simultaneously honoring the past, celebrating the present, and creating the future of mariachi music, enjoy an electrifying and unforgettable night of Mexican music and culture.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater embarks on its next era under the leadership of new Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack, guided as ever by Alvin Ailey’s pioneering legacy. Audiences will be treated to classic works from the Ailey repertory that have inspired and uplifted fans for decades—including the touchstone of inspiration Revelations, the ultimate anthem to resilience and joy. Ailey will continue to break ground with new works by contemporary choreographers that promise to propel dance in exhilarating new directions—pushing the bounds of what the human body can do and what the human spirit can achieve.

360 ALLSTARS
Friday, April 24, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
BMX, basketball, breakdancing, acrobatics, drumming, and more! 360 ALLSTARS brings together street style and elite skill in a supercharged urban circus. With a stellar international cast of World Champion and world record-holding athletes and artists, don’t miss this chance to witness the global smash hit.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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